-- Kachora
A Yaqui medicine man who is a master herbalist -- he has knowledge of more than 4,000 plants, including their medicinal and subtle, or spiritual, properties. He is also a lineage holder of ancient and sacred Toltec traditions.
Originally from Rio Yaqui, Sonora, born in approximately 1914, he now lives in Tecate, Baja California.. His father, Javali, was un hombre de conocimiento -- a man of knowledge. His deep compassion and love for Mother Earth are part of the teachings that were handed down to him from his father's spiritual tradition and those of his mother, who was of Mayan ancestry. This secret oral knowledge is rooted within the special and until recently, hidden, priest lineages that date back to 2,000 B.C.
His travels have taken him all over the world where he has met with other extraordinary elders and teachers of various spiritual traditions, such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama -- who like Kachora, hold peace and the stewardship of Mother Earth and the enlightenment of the People in their heart.
This is a brief introduction into Grandfather's history and that of his ancestors.
"The beginning of my story comes from around 1500 AD when the Spaniards came, when the different civilization came with its new language, new religion of Christianity and foreign customs. Everything natural in the Yaqui world began to become distorted then. The Conquistadors were very aggressive and enslaved the Yaqui. We were then a very natural people without any defenses or protection. So, because of this oppression, the Yaqui sacred knowledge was hidden carefully . . . this was true throughout Mexico . . . it continued only in secret oral and family tradition, within the seven sacred lineages in order to preserve it. Thus, this ancient wisdom only existed inwardly and secretly from the 1500s until today. Now that cycle of obscurity is ending. It is time again for this ancient sacred knowledge to emerge in order to help lead people back to the spiritual and natural way of life".
A gifted healer, Kachora's father was eventually granted freedom from slavery after helping heal many of his people as well as those who had enslaved him. Shortly after becoming a free man, he met Kachora's mother...
"There was torrential rain on the day I entered this world. It created huge flash floods and the wind tore at trees and shelter. We were poor and cold as we walked the land looking for shelter. As my father told our story, it had been many days since they had eaten. My mother weary from the long trek and the lack of food, was not able to breast feed me... I cried and cried from hunger. My father had to focus all his energy on keeping the fire going under our small shelter (which was made of ocotillo and whatever else they could find) and on finding food for he and my mother. The rain continued throughout the day and as night began to fall, my father prayed to the Creator to please feed his little family.
Suddenly a great wind arose. As my father looked up, he saw a kachora (a salamander/lizard) stuggling to hold on to a branch that was hanging directly above the fire. His spirits lifted as he thought his prayers were anwered and the wind would probably bring his family's meal right into their fire.
The wind caught hold of the branches and, plop!, the kachorita fell right into the center of the fire. A few moments later there was movement in the middle of the flames as the salamander slowly made its way out of the fire and walked away unharmed. From then on I was known as Kachora, in honor of the small kachorita and the god of fire."
To be continued.....
FEBRUARY 2009
For more information email:
info@gracesesma.com
